Regarding emitter options: I’d actually prefer SST-20 over LH351D in this light. In fact, I’ll be installing some regardless. I know that means my vote shouldn’t count for much, but at least consider my reasoning.

It’s true that the SST-20 are dimmer than either the LH351D or the XP-L HI, and almost certainly have worse tint than the XP-L HI. However, let’s not get bogged down with comparisons to the XP-L HI since that’s an excellent choice and is getting produced either way. And the SST-20 isn’t going to have significantly worse tint than the LH351D; they’re both known to have fairly green binning on average if you don’t shop carefully.

The LH351D is a much floodier emitter than theSST-20 (which throws more like the XP-L HI), and in an already-floody 20mm triple TIR it’s going to be wasteful. You’re going to need to run a higher brightness level to light up a particular distance away. The SST-20 is much less efficient in an integrating sphere, but especially in a ramping light you aren’t going to ramp up to the same number of lumens on both options and then complain about how much hotter the SST-20 is getting – you’re going to ramp to the same number of lux on a particular target, because that’s the brightness you can perceive. And the SST-20 will be using less power than the LH351D to get there, not more.

If you care mostly about tint and efficiency, the XP-L HI is still your choice. But if you’re concerned more with CRI (especially R9), in actual use the SST-20 is a great option. I’ve got them in my Emisar D4 and their tight beam makes the light far more useful than the numbers would suggest. And, for a back-to-back comparison, I pulled the SST-20 out of my D4S and installed LH351D’s, because in that larger head they were too focused.

I like the beamshots with the 10508 Carclo a lot. I will mostly use this light to light up thing close distance. So a very evenly floody beam would be nice.
So i hope they can get the LH351D. And i will most likely try to change the optic to a 10508 or something similar.

Here’s a calibrated photo of the FW3A. Used the X-rite colorchecker passport to generate a .dcp color correction profile for the Viltrox LED panel and Panasonic DMC-GM1 mirrorless SLR. It’s not as blue as the previous photo would suggest. Very slight bluish shift on the grey.

Certainly not being the best person to brag about his photographic skills,
but I think that every person involved has shown us a photo with a different color of ano.
And I can’t imagine that LT fills a fresh bath of ano for every copy they send.

Is it possible to send one of the last specimen to a professional photographer, like DBCustom?
Or is it advisable to publish only photo’s of the FW3A in the company of well known lights?

The anodising is grey, which behaves similar like white surfaces. Depending on the surrounding color you get a slight color on grey or white. E.g. wear a blue shirt it looks blue and with a green jacket greenish.

My favorite by far is XP-L HI. I think I’ve been fairly clear about that, but just in case… it’s the one I consider the best for this light. I would ideally only make the light with XP-L HI emitters, and offer it in 7D, 5D, 4D, 3D, and 1D tints. Or maybe 6D, 5A, 3D, 2A. Perhaps 7A, 5D, 4A, 2D. Something like that.

I’ve tried both LH351D and SST-20, but my experience with both so far has been “icky green tint”, even at high CRI. But maybe that would be better with the correct tint bin.

However, this project isn’t just for me. Or just for Fritz. We already have one. This project is for the people. And a lot of people really like LH351D or SST-20. So we’ll use those… or at least one of the two. If either one can be obtained in a rosy tint bin, I think it would turn out well.

I use XP-L 4000k 5D in everything. Always very nice tint and usually goes a little pink.

My favorite by far is XP-L HI. I think I’ve been fairly clear about that, but just in case… it’s the one I consider the best for this light. I would ideally only make the light with XP-L HI emitters, and offer it in 7D, 5D, 4D, 3D, and 1D tints. Or maybe 6D, 5A, 3D, 2A. Perhaps 7A, 5D, 4A, 2D. Something like that.

I’ve tried both LH351D and SST-20, but my experience with both so far has been “icky green tint”, even at high CRI. But maybe that would be better with the correct tint bin.

However, this project isn’t just for me. Or just for Fritz. We already have one. This project is for the people. And a lot of people really like LH351D or SST-20. So we’ll use those… or at least one of the two. If either one can be obtained in a rosy tint bin, I think it would turn out well.

cabfrank wrote:

My favorite, and many other’s as well, is also XPL-HI. I think some people want to just try another emitter, or keep the cost slightly lower. I’m sure I’d be very happy with just two XPL versions.

Yep, the XP-L HI is my choice too. I am usually good with 2D to 4A… with 3A – 3D being the sweet spot.

Your probably right too about some people wanting to try another emitter. In fact, i had been hearing so much about the SST-20; I ordered a S2+ to try the 4000K 95CRI version. But after reading THIS that may well have been a mistake unless I just happen to get a good tint. Oh well, it was on sale for $10.99.

Will probably try a LH351D sometime too, if I know for sure it is a good tint.

Choosing an emitter solely based on saving money is a mistake from the start in my book.

For me, and this applies to most anything in life;sometimes the latest is not the greatest.
There is always a lot to be said for the ‘tried and true’.

—

You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him up to a heavy load./"Bear" Bryant

teacher, that $10.99 is less than the cost of an S2+ host plus it’s got a biscotti driver. I say you came out way ahead. Just swap in your favorite led. I have one from Hank and ordered 4 more from banggood for giveaways.

Yeah, great deal, and a great way to try the SST-20. Our standards have changed quickly (meaning we are getting spoiled by more great lights at great prices), but this should be a very solid and useful flashlight.

It's only slightly blue-tinted. If I take an average color value from each of three people's pictures, and normalize them, here's what I found: * R/G/B = 77.7% / 88.3% / 100.0% Bluzie * R/G/B = 89.0% / 93.8% / 100.0% TK * R/G/B = 94.0% / 97.0% / 100.0% Maukka Maukka's pictures are color-calibrated, so I'd trust those values the most. If I understand correctly, the others used auto white balance so their colors may be skewed.